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LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) - Detroit Tigers outfielder Andy Dirks is expected to miss three months because of a back problem that requires surgery.

Manager Brad Ausmus has a good idea of what Dirks can expect - he says he had the same injury a few years ago.

“My understanding is a piece of the disk tore away from the whole of the disk,” Ausmus said. “They’re just going to go in and remove that piece and clean up the area on the disk where it had come off.”

Utilityman Don Kelly can also play in the outfield, and Ezequiel Carrera could be an option as well. Second baseman Steve Lombardozzi, acquired in a trade with Washington over the offseason, has 49 career starts in left field.

Ausmus said he had this back operation in 2010, his final season as a player. Ausmus said he had surgery the first week of the season. He did not play again that year until July 24.